Patents by Inventor Willard A. Blevins
Willard A. Blevins has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240120562Abstract: A battery monitoring system for a battery pack having battery cells including a test cell and a reference voltage. The battery monitoring system includes built-in-test circuitry associated with the test cell. The built-in-test circuitry has a monitoring control operable to permit electric current between the reference voltage and the test cell and an enabling control operable to permit electric current between the reference voltage and the test cell. The battery monitoring system also includes battery monitoring circuitry having cell monitoring voltage interfaces configured to receive cell voltages associated with the battery cells and a built-in-test interface operable upon actuation by the battery monitoring circuitry to operate the monitoring control. A method for operating circuitry associated with the battery monitoring system is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2022Publication date: April 11, 2024Applicant: Air Transport Safety Inc.Inventors: Inder J. Verma, Willard A. Blevins
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Patent number: 11682799Abstract: A battery monitoring system for a battery pack having battery cells including a test cell and a reference voltage. The battery monitoring system includes built-in-test circuitry associated with the test cell. The built-in-test circuitry has a monitoring control operable to permit electric current between the reference voltage and the test cell and an enabling control operable to permit electric current between the reference voltage and the test cell. The battery monitoring system also includes battery monitoring circuitry having cell monitoring voltage interfaces configured to receive cell voltages associated with the battery cells and a built-in-test interface operable upon actuation by the battery monitoring circuitry to operate the monitoring control. A method for operating circuitry associated with the battery monitoring system is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2020Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignee: Air Transport Safety Inc.Inventors: Inder J. Verma, Willard A. Blevins
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Publication number: 20220109196Abstract: A battery monitoring system for a battery pack having battery cells including a test cell and a reference voltage. The battery monitoring system includes built-in-test circuitry associated with the test cell. The built-in-test circuitry has a monitoring control operable to permit electric current between the reference voltage and the test cell and an enabling control operable to permit electric current between the reference voltage and the test cell. The battery monitoring system also includes battery monitoring circuitry having cell monitoring voltage interfaces configured to receive cell voltages associated with the battery cells and a built-in-test interface operable upon actuation by the battery monitoring circuitry to operate the monitoring control. A method for operating circuitry associated with the battery monitoring system is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2020Publication date: April 7, 2022Applicant: Air Transport Safety Inc.Inventors: Inder J. Verma, Willard A. Blevins
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Patent number: 8760306Abstract: A sensor arrangement and method that may be used with a variety of different energy storage devices, including battery packs found in hybrid vehicles, battery electric vehicles, and other types of vehicles. An exemplary sensor arrangement includes a number of sensor units, a controller, and several connections, wherein two or more sensor units are coupled to each node of the battery pack and are coupled to the controller over different connections. An exemplary method is divided into two aspects: an error detection aspect and an error resolution aspect. Because the sensor arrangement provides multiple sensor readings for each node being evaluated, the method can enable the sensor arrangement to continue operating accurately and with redundancy even if it experiences a loss of one or more sensor units.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2013Date of Patent: June 24, 2014Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Andrew K. Chandler, Andrew H. Leutheuser, Willard A. Blevins, Larry J. Yount
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Patent number: 8587318Abstract: A sensor arrangement and method that may be used with a variety of different energy storage devices, including battery packs found in hybrid vehicles, battery electric vehicles, and other types of vehicles. Some battery monitoring systems, such as those designed to monitor and/or control lithium-ion battery packs, may require individual voltage readings for each and every cell. If a battery monitoring system component—even one that provides just one of these sensor readings—malfunctions or otherwise experiences a fault condition, then it may be necessary to bring the entire vehicle in for service. The exemplary sensor arrangement and method may be used to control a series of balancing switches in the sensor arrangement in such a way that enables the vehicle to detect fault conditions and to continue operating successfully in the event that such fault conditions occur.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2010Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Andrew K. Chandler, Andrew H. Leutheuser, Willard A. Blevins, Larry J. Yount
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Patent number: 8384354Abstract: A sensor arrangement and method that may be used with a variety of different energy storage devices, including battery packs found in hybrid vehicles, battery electric vehicles, and other types of vehicles. An exemplary sensor arrangement includes a number of sensor units, a controller, and several connections, wherein two or more sensor units are coupled to each node of the battery pack and are coupled to the controller over different connections. An exemplary method is divided into two aspects: an error detection aspect and an error resolution aspect. Because the sensor arrangement provides multiple sensor readings for each node being evaluated, the method can enable the sensor arrangement to continue operating accurately and with redundancy even if it experiences a loss of one or more sensor units.Type: GrantFiled: October 15, 2009Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Andrew K. Chandler, Andrew H. Leutheuser, Willard A. Blevins, Larry J. Yount
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Publication number: 20120025835Abstract: A sensor arrangement and method that may be used with a variety of different energy storage devices, including battery packs found in hybrid vehicles, battery electric vehicles, and other types of vehicles. Some battery monitoring systems, such as those designed to monitor and/or control lithium-ion battery packs, may require individual voltage readings for each and every cell. If a battery monitoring system component—even one that provides just one of these sensor readings—malfunctions or otherwise experiences a fault condition, then it may be necessary to bring the entire vehicle in for service. The exemplary sensor arrangement and method may be used to control a series of balancing switches in the sensor arrangement in such a way that enables the vehicle to detect fault conditions and to continue operating successfully in the event that such fault conditions occur.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2010Publication date: February 2, 2012Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Andrew K. Chandler, Andrew H. Leutheuser, Willard A. Blevins, Larry J. Yount
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Publication number: 20110089953Abstract: A sensor arrangement and method that may be used with a variety of different energy storage devices, including battery packs found in hybrid vehicles, battery electric vehicles, and other types of vehicles. An exemplary sensor arrangement includes a number of sensor units, a controller, and several connections, wherein two or more sensor units are coupled to each node of the battery pack and are coupled to the controller over different connections. An exemplary method is divided into two aspects: an error detection aspect and an error resolution aspect. Because the sensor arrangement provides multiple sensor readings for each node being evaluated, the method can enable the sensor arrangement to continue operating accurately and with redundancy even if it experiences a loss of one or more sensor units.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2009Publication date: April 21, 2011Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS, INC.Inventors: Andrew K. Chandler, Andrew H. Leutheuser, Willard A. Blevins, Larry J. Yount
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Patent number: 7182296Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for more reliably transferring operational control for various aircraft flight control surfaces from a first sub-system to a second sub-system. The present invention provides an Actuator Control Electronics (ACE) wrap-back module that monitors the output of the normal mode control module and switches control to the direct control module based upon the detection of an error condition. The switching function is controlled by a monitoring system that monitors the output from an integrated heartbeat module that emits a pre-programmed signal. The pre-programmed signal is encoded and sent over a communication bus where it is then decoded and validated by comparing the decoded signal to the expected results. Any irregularity in the heartbeat signal automatically triggers a change of control from the first flight control sub-system to the second flight control sub-system.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2002Date of Patent: February 27, 2007Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.Inventors: Larry J. Yount, Dale D. Davidson, William F. Potter, Alan B. Hickman, Willard A. Blevins
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Publication number: 20060214066Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for more reliably transferring operational control for various aircraft flight control surfaces from a first sub-system to a second sub-system. The present invention provides an Actuator Control Electronics (ACE) wrap-back module that monitors the output of the normal mode control module and switches control to the direct control module based upon the detection of an error condition. The switching function is controlled by a monitoring system that monitors the output from an integrated heartbeat module that emits a pre-programmed signal. The pre-programmed signal is encoded and sent over a communication bus where it is then decoded and validated by comparing the decoded signal to the expected results. Any irregularity in the heartbeat signal automatically triggers a change of control from the first flight control sub-system to the second flight control sub-system.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2002Publication date: September 28, 2006Inventors: Larry Yount, Dale Davidson, William Potter, Alan Hickman, Willard Blevins
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Patent number: 4287480Abstract: The out-of-lock condition of a digital phase locked loop is detected during a plurality of states such that single bit discrepancies, such as a noise pulse, are ignored, and thus the tolerable range of phase detection error is broadened. The present invention is adaptable for use with typical applications of digital phase locked loops, and can be used to control the phase detector of the digital phase locked loop such that error voltages will be introduced into the loop only during selected states.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 1980Date of Patent: September 1, 1981Assignee: Sperry CorporationInventors: Billy K. Swift, Anthony F. Zizzo, Willard A. Blevins